The sky is falling! (or is it?)

As another federal government crisis threatens to destroy life as we know it, a part of me can’t help but think we’ve been through this dance before.

Congress once again finds itself at a standstill in its efforts to pass a continuing resolution that will fund federal government programs, including the Affordable Care Act, for the coming year.

Republicans say they won’t fund Obamacare. Democrats say they won’t negotiate terms of Obamacare with Republicans. The president says any “unclean” (lacking Obamacare) bill that comes to his desk will get the instant veto.

So, in this room full of defiant leaders, who is to blame?

A better question might be, how bad will a government shutdown really be?

The answer to both questions is a little foggy at this point.

I’m honestly not sure how a federal government shutdown will impact the citizens of Pickens County, and I’m not sure anybody has made it very clear. According to CBC News, Air traffic control, the military, prisons, border security, mail delivery, anything related to national security and public safety, social security checks, emergency medical care, and food safety inspection are examples of things that would be unaffected.

That doesn’t sound too bad.

Of course, passport services may be put on hold and you may not be able to visit some national parks, but does that sound like the world is coming to an end?

I believe taking our time to make sure we have proper health care laws trumps what we could face from shutting the government down for a few days.

I don’t want a government shutdown, but nobody is willing to budge on their position, so what are we supposed to do?

There’s been a lot of talk about hostage taking and waging wars that are impossible to win, but what about a federal government that screams the sky is falling every few months just to get its way on an issue.

Republicans have been having the defund Obamacare discussion for the past several months, so it should not come as a surprise that the house actually followed through with it. And, while there has been no compromise in the senate, house representatives have offered to take defunding the legislation off the table in favor of delaying it one year.

That would give legislators the time that is needed to fix areas where the bill is not strong.

Right now, none of that is going to happen.

Everyone is locking themselves in their rooms and pouting like spoiled children while a shutdown hangs in the balance.

My hopes are that a compromise can be reached before the sky really does start to fall.